ISO/TC46/SC9/WG5 N 2

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INTERNATIONAL 3297
STANDARD
Fourth edition
2003-10-31

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ISO 3297:2003(E) 2003-10-31

Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide
federation of national standards bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of
preparing International Standards is normally carried out through ISO
technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which
a technical committee has been established has the right to be represented
on that committee. International organizations, governmental and non-
governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. ISO collab-
orates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on
all matters of electrotechnical standardization.

Draft International Standards adopted by the technical committees are

circulated to the member bodies for voting. Publication as an International
Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the member bodies casting a
vote.

International Standard ISO 3297 was prepared by Technical Committee

ISO/TC 46, Information and documentation, Subcommittee SC 9,
Presentation, identific ation and description of documents.

This third edition cancels and replaces the second edition (ISO 3297:1986),
of which it constitutes a technical revision.

Annexes A, B and C of this International Standard are for information only.

ISO 1998
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or
utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and
microfilm, without permission in writing from the publisher.
International Organization for Standardization
Case postale 56 CH-1211 Genve 20 Switzerland
Internet iso@iso.ch
Printed in Switzerland

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Introduction
The need for a brief, unique and unambiguous identification code for serials
is internationally recognized. The exchange of information between
computer systems of different organizations, such as users (libraries,
abstracting services and others), suppliers or distributors, and publishers
and producers, imposes the requirement for a standard code.
Communication between the different organizations transcends national
boundaries and therefore requires an international code which is numeric,
since no single alphabet is used by the majority of producers and users of
serials. In response to these requirements, the International Standard Serial
Number (ISSN) was established as the identification code for serials.

The International Serials Data System (ISDS) was established as an inter-

governmental organization within the framework of the UNESCO/UNISIST
programme to be the designated authority for controlling the assignment of
ISSN. The ISDS has since become the ISSN Network.

The ISSN Network is composed of national and regional centres,

coordinated by an International Centre. National centres are responsible for
assigning ISSN and registering serials published in their respective
countries, and for transmitting such registrations to the International Centre.
Several national centres may decide jointly to establish a regional centre,
for reasons of economy, geography or language.

The International Centre undertakes ISSN assignment and registration, as

necessary, for the serials published by international organizations and for
the serials published in a country where no national or regional centre
exists. The International Centre is also responsible for the allocation of
blocks of ISSN to national or regional centres, for the coordination of all
activities within the network and for the publication of an international
register of ISSN1).

1) The ISSN Register is available from the ISSN International Centre.

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Information and documentation International Standard

Serial Number (ISSN)

1 Scope

The purpose of this International Standard is to define and promote the use of a standard code (ISSN) for the unique
identification of serials and other continuing resources.

Each International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) is a unique identifier for a specific continuing resource.

Continuing resources are issued over time with no predetermined conclusion. They include serials and ongoing
integrating resources.

Examples of serials cover journals, magazines, electronic journals, ongoing directories, annual reports, newspapers,
and monographic series.

Examples of ongoing integrating resources cover those data bases, Web sites, loose-leafs that are updated over time
with no predetermined conclusion.

ISSN are applicable to the entire population of serials and to ongoing integrating resources, whether past, present or
to be published or produced in the foreseeable future, whatever the medium of publication or production.

All serials are eligible for an ISSN.

To be eligible for an ISSN, an ongoing integrating resource must be updated indefinitely and/or have an update
2)
statement .

Individual monographs, technical reports, sound and video recordings, printed music publications, audiovisual works
and musical works have their own numbering systems and are not specifically mentioned in this International
Standard. Such items may carry an ISSN in addition to their own standard numbers when they are part of a
continuing resource.

2 Normative references

The following standards contain provisions which, through reference in this text, constitute provisions of this
International Standard. At the time of publication, the editions indicated were valid. All standards are subject to
revision, and parties to agreements based on this International Standard are encouraged to investigate the possibility
of applying the most recent editions of the standards indicated below. Members of IEC and ISO maintain registers of
currently valid International Standards.

ISO 8:1977, Documentation Presentation of periodicals .

ISO 2709:1996, Information and documentation Format for information exchange.

ISO 5123:1984, Documentation Headers for microfiche of monographs and serials.

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2)
A list of types of ongoing integrating resources which are not eligible for ISSN assignment is maintained on the ISSN International
Centre Web site (http://www.issn .org) and in the ISSN Manual.

ISO 7275:1985, Documentation Presentation of title information of series.

3 Definitions

For the purposes of this International Standard, the following definitions apply.

3.1
ISSN
International Standard Serial Number
Eight digit number, including a check digit and preceded by the alphabetic prefix ISSN, assigned to a continuing
resource by the ISSN Network

NOTE In English, the abbreviation "ISSN" denotes the singular or plural forms, according to context.

[French term: ISSN, Numro international normalis des publications en srie]

3.2
Bibliographic resource
An expression or manifestation of a work or an item that forms the basis for bibliographic description. A bibliographic
resource may be in any medium or combination of media and may be tangible or intangible.

[French term: ressource bibliographique]

3.3
Continuing resource
A bibliographic resource that is issued over time with no predetermined conclusion. Continuing resources include serials
and ongoing integrating resources.

[French term: ressource en continu]

3.4
Integrating resource:
A bibliographic resource that is added to or changed by means of updates that do not remain discrete and are integrated into
the whole. Integrating resources can be finite or continuing. Examples of integrating resources include updating loose-leafs
and updating Web sites.

[French term: ressource intgratrice]

3.5
Serial
A continuing resource in any medium issued in a succession of discrete issues or parts, usually bearing numbering, that has
no predetermined conclusion. Examples of serials include journals, magazines, electronic journals, ongoing directories,
annual reports, newspapers, and monographic series.

[French term: publication en srie]

3.6
Work
A distinct intellectual or artistic creation.

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A work is an abstract entity ; there is no single material object one can point to as the work. The work is recognized
through individual realizations or expressions of the work, but the work itself exists only in the commonality of
content between and among the various expressions of the work.

Variant texts incorporating revisions or updates to an earlier text are viewed simply as expressions of the same work
(i.e., the variant texts are not viewed as separate works). Similarly, abridgements or enlargements of an existing text,
or the addition of parts are considered to be different expressions of the same work. Translations from an language
to another are also considered simply as different expressions of a same work.

[French term: oeuvre]

3.7
Expression
The intellectual or artistic realization of a work in the form of alpha-numeric, musical, or choreographic notation,
sound, image, object, movement, etc., or any combination of such forms.

The boundaries of the entity expression are defined, so as to exclude aspects of physical form such as typeface and
layout, that are not integral to the intellectual or artistic realization of the work as such.

Strictly speaking, any change in intellectual or artistic content constitutes a change in expression. Thus, if a text is
revised or modified, the resulting expression is considered to be a new expression, no matter how minor the
modification may be.

[French term: expression]

3.8
Manifestation
The physical embodiment of an expression of a work. As an entity, manifestation represents all the physical objects
that bear the same characteristics, in respect to both intellectual content and physical form.

When the production process involves changes in physical form the resulting product is considered a new
manifestation. Changes in physical form include changes affecting display characteristics (e.g., a change in
typeface, size of font, page layout, etc.), changes in physical medium, and changes in the container. Whenever the
production process involves modifications, additions, deletions, etc. that affect the intellectual or artistic content, the
result is a new manifestation embodying a new expression of the work.

[French term: manifestation]

3.9
Key title
Unique name assigned to a continuing resource by the ISSN Network and inseparably linked with its ISSN. The key
title may be the same as the title proper; or, in order to achieve uniqueness, it can be constructed by the addition of
identifying and/or qualifying elements such as name of issuing body, place of publication, edition statement, etc.

[French term: titre cl]

3.10
Title proper
The chief title of a bibliographic resource, i.e., the title of a bibliographic resource in the form in which it appears on
the title page or the title page substitute. The title proper includes any alternative title but excludes parallel titles and
other title information. In the case of a section or some supplements and some titles of sub-series, the title proper can
consist of two or more parts: the common title (or the title of the main bibliographic resource or the title of the main
series), the dependent title and the dependent title designation.

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4 Construction of ISSN

An ISSN shall consist of eight digits, in arabic numerals 0 to 9, except for the last digit which is the check digit and
can sometimes be an X (see annex B). The ISSN has no internal meaningful elements to identify language, country
or publisher.

Since ISSN are likely to be used in the same context as codes designed for other purposes, such as the International
Standard Book Number (ISBN) or local control numbers, the written or printed presentation of ISSN shall clearly
distinguish ISSN from other numbering systems. Therefore, an ISSN shall be preceded by the prefix ISSN and a
space, and shall appear as two groups of four digits separated by a hyphen as in the following examples.

EXAMPLES:

ISSN 0251-1479 ISSN 1050-124X

The check digit is always located in the extreme right (low order) position, and is calculated on a modulus 11 basis
with weights 8 to 2, using X in lieu of 10 where 10 would occur as a check digit.

ISSN are constructed and distributed by the ISSN International Centr e 2).

5 Copyright

No copyright shall subsist in the assignment of ISSN or in their use in association with, or in place of, the resources
they represent.

6 Printing and display of ISSN on continuing resource issues or iterations

6.1 General

ISSN shall be presented as two groups of four digits separated by a hyphen and shall always be preceded by the
prefix ISSN and a space (see also clause 4).

The ISSN shall be displayed in a prominent position on or in the first issue and on or in each subsequent issue or on
each iteration of a continuing resource.

If a publication bears an ISSN as well as another standard number, such as an ISBN for a volume of a series, the
two numbers shall appear together and each number shall be identified by its own prefix: ISSN and ISBN or another
appropriate prefix (see ISO 7275).

When more than one ISSN appears on a single publication in relation to different continuing resource titles, for
example the titles of a main series and its subseries, each ISSN shall appear on the continuing resource and each
shall be distinguished by either adding the full or abbreviated title in parentheses after the relevant number, or by
printing each ISSN as close as possible to the relevant title. When a continuing resource contains another continuing
resource as an insert with a separate title page, the ISSN for the insert shall be printed on that title page, or in some
other appropriate place on the insert.

2) ISSN International Centre

20, rue Bachaumont
75002 Paris, France
Telephone: (33 1) 44 88 22 20
Telefax: (33 1) 40 26 32 43
E-mail: issnic@issn.org
WWW: http://www.issn.org

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When continuing resources are produced in different media, and different ISSN and key titles are assigned, the
related ISSN may also be displayed in the continuing resources, each with additional, distinguishing informations, as
follows:

e.g.
ISSN 1562-6865 (Online)
ISSN 1063-7710 (Print)
Or
Online edition: ISSN 1562-6865
Print edition: ISSN 1063-7710

6.2 Printed continuing resources

The ISSN shall be printed in a prominent position on each printed continuing resource issue in this order of
preference: front cover, title page, caption, masthead, back cover, colophon or editorial pages.

On a periodical, the ISSN shall, whenever possible, appear in the top right-hand corner of the front cover (see
ISO 8). In the case of tte-bche publications (i.e. when two texts are bound together in inverted relation to each
other), the ISSN shall be printed on both covers (or title pages, captions, mastheads, colophons, editorial pages).

6.3 Continuing resources in media other than paper

On a continuing resource published on microfiche, the ISSN shall be entered in the identification area of the header
of the microfiche and/or the labels (see ISO 5123).

On a continuing resource published in an electronic medium (e.g. online continuing resource, CD-ROM), the ISSN
shall appear on the title screen or failing it, on the main menu, and, if applicable, on any labels permanently affixed
to the publication. If it is not possible to display the ISSN on the item or its label, the ISSN shall be displayed on the
container.

On online continuing resource using metadata (e.g. Dublin Core), the ISSN shall be included in the element
Identifier of the metadata.

7 Relationship between an ISSN and a continuing resource

7.1 Only one ISSN may be assigned to a continuing resource. This ISSN is permanently linked to the key title
established by the ISSN centre at the time of registration.

7.2 In cases where the title of the continuing resource undergoes a major change, a new ISSN and a new key title
shall be assigned.

7.3 When a distinct continuing resource exists within another continuing resource, whatever the form of
presentation (e.g. an insert), each shall receive its own individual key title and ISSN.

7.4 When a continuing resource is published in different media, with the same title or not, different ISSN and key
titles shall be assigned to the different editions.
NOTE Microreproductions produced for the purpose of providing surrogates for the original materials are the exception and shall
use the ISSN of the original serials.

7.5 Once an ISSN has been assigned to a continuing resource registered under a key title, it shall not, in any
circumstances, be re-assigned to another continuing resource.

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8 Key title

The key title is established or authenticated by the ISSN centre responsible for the registration of the continuing
resource, in accordance with the rules given in the ISSN Manual 3). The key title is derived from the title information
appearing on the title page or its equivalent of the print publication or from the most complete information on the non-
print resources at the time of registration. The key title is the same title as the title proper, if this title is unique in the
ISSN Register at the time of registration. If this title is not unique, the key title is the title proper to which a qualifying
term is added (such as name of issuing body, place and/or date of publication, edition statement or medium
statement), in order to make the resulting key title unique.

All key titles are listed in the ISSN Register together with their ISSN. Key titles in non-roman alphabets shall be
romanized according to ISO standards or, in the absence of ISO standards, national standards.

9 Data elements used in the ISSN Network

The ISSN files, in the International Centre and regional and national centres, contain a common set of data elements
(see annex A) considered sufficient for the identification of a serial4).

The list of data elements may be augmented with additional fields if needed for national, regional or international
purposes.

For the exchange of serial data, the ISSN Network utilizes the international standard format specified in ISO 2709.

3) The ISSN Manual is available from the ISSN International Centre.

4) Full specifications of the data elements are given in the ISSN Manual.

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Annex A
(informative)

List of data elements used in the ISSN Network

The ISSN files, in the International Centre and regional and national centres, contain a common set of data elements,
which are enumerated in the following list:

ISSN
Key title
Country of publication
Imprint
Electronic location and access
Abbreviated key title
Varying form of title
Title proper
Publication status (currently published, discontinued, unknown)
Date(s) of publication
Frequency
Type of continuing resource
Physical medium
Specific material designation
Language of publication
Script of original title
Classification (UDC or DDC)
ISSN centre code
Cataloguing source
Name of issuing body(ies) as on piece
Name of issuing body(ies) as established by national cataloguing practice
Coden and other codes
Citation /References note
Original language entry
Translation entry
Additional physical form entry
Preceding entry
Succeeding entry
Supplement parent entry
Supplement/Special issue entry
Main series entry
Subseries entry
Nonspecific relationship entry
Other edition entry

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Annex B
(informative)

Procedure for calculation of the check digit

The check digit helps guard against errors resulting from improper data transcription. The check digit is particularly
effective in detecting transposition errors. The check digit used in ISSN is calculated on a Modulus 11 basis using
weights 8 to 2, as indicated in the following table.

Procedure Example
1 Take the first seven digits of the ISSN (the check 0 3 1 7 8 4 7
digit is the eighth and last digit).
2 Apply the constant weighting factors (8 to 2) 8 7 6 5 4 3 2
associated with each digit.
3 Multiply each digit by its associated weighting factor 0 3 1 7 8 4 7

(e.g. 0 8; 3 7; 1 6; etc.). 8 7 6 5 4 3 2
= 0 21 6 35 32 12 14
4 Sum the products of these multiplications. 0 + 21 + 6 + 35 + 32 + 12 + 14 = 120
5 Divide this sum by the modulus 11 to find the 120 11 = 10 and a remainder of 10
remainder.
6 Subtract the remainder from 11 to generate the 11 2 10 = 1
required check digit.
If the check digit is 10, generate a check digit of X.
If there is no remainder, generate a check digit of 0
(zero).
7 Append the check digit to create the eight-digit 0317-8471
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN).

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Annex C
(informative)

Bibliography

[1] ISO 4:1997, Information and documentation Rules for the abbreviation of title words and titles of
publications.

[2] ISO 9:1995, Information and documentation Transliteration of Cyrillic characters into Latin characters
Slavic and non-Slavic languages.

[3] ISO 215:1986, Documentation Presentation of contributions to periodicals and other serials.

[4] ISO 233-2:1993, Information and documentation Transliteration of Arabic characters into Latin
characters Part 2: Arabic language Simplified transliteration.

[5] ISO 259-2:1994, Information and documentation Transliteration of Hebrew characters into Latin
characters Part 2: Simplified transliteration.

[6] ISO 843:1997, Information and documentation Conversion of Greek characters into Latin characters.

[7] ISO 2108:1992, Information and documentation International standard book numbering (ISBN).

[8] ISO 3602:1989, Documentation Romanization of Japanese (kana script).

[9] ISO 3901:1986, Documentation International Standard Recording Code (ISRC).

[10] ISO 5122:1979, Documentation Abstract sheets in serial publications.

[11] ISO 5966:1982, Documentation Presentation of scientific and technical reports.

[12] ISO 7098:1991, Information and documentation Romanization of Chinese.

[13] ISO 7144:1986, Documentation Presentation of theses and similar documents.

[14] ISO 10444:1994, Information and documentation International standard technical report number
(ISRN).

[15] ISO 10957:1993, Information and documentation International standard music number (ISMN).

[16] International standard bibliographic description for serials and other continuing resources (ISBD(CR)).
International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA). Mnchen: Saur, 2002

[17] Functional requirements for bibliographic records: final report. IFLA Study Group on the Functional
Requirements for Bibliographic Records. Mnchen: K.G. Saur, 1998

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ISO 3297:1998(E) ISO

ICS 01.140.20
Descriptors: documentation, periodicals, serials, identification methods, numbering, international identification number, organizations for code
assignment.

Price based on 7 pages